The Bradford City Water Authority and Bankson Engineers will meet with representatives from PENNVEST next month to review a capital proposal for improvements at the water treatment plant.
At Wednesday’s meeting, Steve Disney, executive director of the Water Authority, said, “To assist in developing treatment processes to improve floc formation a zeta potential test on the water was performed last week. This test will assist in evaluating various treatment methods and coagulant dosages.”
PENNVEST — the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority — funds sewer, stormwater and drinking water projects through the state with either grants or low-interest loans through a competitive process. While there’s no guarantee a project will be accepted, the authority has been successful in the past. The authority was awarded an $8.52 million grant in 2021 for a lead abatement project in the system.
Disney gave an update about the water meter replacement project, explaining the finance committees and staff from the water and sanitary authorities met with Johnson Controls last week to review the status of the meter evaluation project, meter test results and to identify next steps.
“JCI will be doing additional evaluations. Their main focus will continue to be on the meter project,” Disney said, “however, other smaller projects that could provide positive return on investments will be included, such as onsite sodium hypochlorite generation (due to the cost and safety concerns of gaseous chlorine), a solar panel project and replacing the 39-plus year old electrical transformers at the two treatment plants.”
Disney also gave an update on the distribution warehouse heating system. “During the pre-bidding review sessions, it was discovered that a more efficient radiant tube heating process could be considered for this facility as an alternative to the conventional natural gas fired forced air furnaces,” he explained.
A bid opening for the conventional heating was held June 24 with two bidders for the contract, which consisted of replacing the heating furnaces at the Glenwood Avenue Distribution Warehouse. The low bidder was Wm T. Spaeder Co. Inc of Erie at $107,000.
“However, the authority has decided to proceed with additional evaluation of the radiant tube heating system,” Disney said, adding, “the received bids for the conventional style heating were rejected.”
Regarding a project at Marilla Brook Crossing, Disney said complaints have been received about the restoration after the project’s completion.
“Formal written correspondence has been issued to Cummins Construction notifying them that restoration failures relating to areas of water ponding, poor seeding, rocks needing removed from the excavation area and topsoil needed for fill and reseeding will need to be corrected prior to any final payment,” Disney said. “To date Cummins Construction has not adequately addressed these issues.”
In other business, Ken Kane of Generations Forestry gave a timber report and inventory status. He said the Firth Maple Products Inc. ash salvage operations are still ongoing for at least another 30 days. The Interstate Parkway elusive ash salvage is complete. The Boulder Blowdown sale is currently inactive but should start in approximately 10 days. Herbicide activity is still ongoing throughout the watershed.
It was also noted that the Willow Creek Snowmobile Club has been awarded a grant to improve trails, which will be mutually beneficial as some of that grant work will be done to improve road conditions and looping dead end trails on the watershed.
Disney also noted that a resident from Gilbert Lane communicated to the authority their appreciation regarding the logging trucks traveling at slow and safe speeds while traveling along Gilbert Lane.
In old business, Disney noted that overall, water delinquencies remained steady for June. However, the authority is seeing an increase in commercial delinquencies across the board.
Regarding the lead abatement project, final milling and paving restoration on South Avenue has been completed. Complete curb-to-curb milling and paving on East Main Street between East Avenue and Welch Avenue has been planned for early August.
Under new business, Disney said the Pennsylvania Municipal Authority Association’s annual conference and trade show is being held Sept. 15 to 18 at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center.
